Volume 39 | December 22, 2023
Hi everyone. This Brief, #39 End of the Year Wrap Up, will be the last of the year. And what a year it has been. 39 Briefs (and the fact that it is not 40 is crushing my OCD), nine countries visited, 80,000 miles flown, countless shows, and thousands of calls, emails, videos, etc. My personal LinkedIn alone was over 2.5M impressions. But the one number I am most proud of and the most important is the number 1.
That 1 represents the 1 access control and smart lock community we are building collectively.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to do this.
Below is a quick Brief on interesting information and tidbits going into 2024.
Have a great holiday, New Year's, and I can't wait till 2024.
If, for any reason, I am not meeting your expectations, please feel free to let me know.
Thank you!
PS: I am sure some of you may forward this on but please do so sparingly and encourage others to sign up here. Thank you!
End of the Year Wrap Up
Some Q1 2024 Highlights Coming from the Access Control Executive Brief and Articles of Interest.
The AC Lab is officially coming!
I signed the lease this week and moved in on 1/8. What is the AC Lab? The AC Lab is a community-driven creative center focusing on collaboration, research, testing, and creating reports and content in access control and smart locks. It serves as a hub for exchanging information and provides opportunities for individuals to contribute and receive information without any drama. First up will be testing and reporting on smart locks. If you are in the smart lock business and want to have your product part of the testing, please reach out. The plan is to work with industry experts to develop, communicate, and do the testing. We will be transparent about how we do the testing and make the results available both paid and free, depending on the report. More to come, but I am excited to get this off the ground and make it a focus for 2024.
Intersec Dubai January 16 & 17
The Thought Leadership Pavilion at Intersec has filled up nicely with Anviz, Galaxy Systems, HID, and Veris joining me to activate the two days. Thank you! We have one spot left, but 2 companies are about to come on board. Pumped for it.
ACS at ISC West sounds good, right?
We won't be doing The Lounge this year, but I'm happy to report we are bringing ACS to ISC West. We will have an activation at four booths on the show floor. Expect something you've never seen at ISC West to unfold in the first two daysā€”more announcements to come, but boy, I am pumped to roll this out.
First Podcast Recording Completed
Yesterday was an extraordinary day. I had the privilege of spending the day at the home of John Moss, the man behind Software House and S2. Michael Rielgelman, also cofounder of S2, organized the day and joined in on the conversation. To say John is a well-respected legend of the industry is an understatement. His reach and impact are broad and deep. He doesn't speak often, and spending the day with him was an honor. Michael is such a genuine juggernaut who has just gotten started. I can't wait to see what he does next.
The conversation covered many topics from John's upbringing, education, career experience, what drives him, what has made him so successful, why and how Mike triggered the hockey stick history of S2, the current and future trends of our industry, and includes a cameo of Donut, the family dog. It was enlightening, and I look forward to bringing it to you in audio and video in the upcoming Season 1 Access Control Executive Brief Podcast.
The visit with John and Mike was perfect for putting a bow on 2023. It was an ideal mix of the past and the future, showing just how special our industry is and our opportunities. 2024 will be a banger, and I know, just like me, you are here for it.
Here are some recent reports and studies of interest.
The end of the year gives us a flurry of predictions, state of-, and trend reports. Here are a few outside of our industry that have caught my attention.
Honeywell 2023 Investor Day
Presentation: https://honeywell.gcs-web.com/static-files/08a48472-aa08-420b-ba6b-a0dadac71076
I did some reading post-acquisition and found the Honeywell 2023 Investor Day presentation interesting. The presentation focuses on their transformation and growth strategies. Key areas of interest for the security industry include Honeywell's acquisitions, divestitures, and a focus on digital and sustainable technologies. They emphasize innovations in controls, automation software, and digitalization. It is most interesting that Honeywell outlines its merger and acquisition strategies, targets bolt-on acquisitions in the $1B - $7B range, and reduces exposure to non-core, low-margin businesses. This point aligns with industry megatrends and focuses on high-growth, high-margin opportunities. It also explains why they can't make acquisitions that would help accelerate their velocity.
Dror Poleg Real Estate & AI: Ten Predictions
Newsletter: https://www.drorpoleg.com/real-estate-and-ai-ten-predictions/?ref=rethinking-with-dror-poleg-newsletter
Dror is an absolute must-read. His reading is like eating business vegetables. His recent article "Real Estate & AI: Ten Predictions" discusses the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the real estate industry. He suggests that AI will significantly affect the value, design, and operation of physical buildings and cities, comparing this technological change to the Industrial Revolution. However, these changes will likely propagate faster in our connected world and have a more immediate impact, especially in large cities. He makes ten predictions about how AI will influence real estate. For instance, AI is expected to intensify technological integration into the real estate business, necessitating new activities, operating partners, and funding structures. Companies that rely solely on their CTOs to navigate these changes may face challenges. AI is also predicted to alter real estate demand and supply dramatically. It will influence how, where, and why people work, potentially reducing the number of people needed to generate the same amount of economic activity. These changes could lead to a split in the middle class of office workers into a smaller group of high earners and a larger group of service workers.
Workplace Trend Report" by Gable
Report: https://hello.gable.to/hubfs/Gable
Gable's "Workplace Trend Report" provides insights into the evolving landscape of hybrid and remote work. The report is based on survey data gathered in November 2023 from over 200 respondents, primarily from the tech, finance, and IT industries, and internal product data from July to October 2023.
Key takeaways I had from the report:
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The modern workplace is increasingly flexible, with employees demanding more flexibility and better work-life integration. Companies are navigating these changes to achieve business goals, keep workforces engaged, and lower real estate costs.
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19% of workplaces are mostly remote but meet in person for crucial moments. This formation suggests that while remote work is prevalent, there is still a need for in-person connections.
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14% of workplaces have a hybrid setup with set office days, indicating a balance between remote and in-office work.
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13% of workplaces have a mix of several policies, showing that companies are experimenting with different models to find what works best for them.
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Only 4% of workplaces are entirely in the office, highlighting the shift from traditional office-based work.
Forbes article titled "The Hottest Workplace Trend Heading Into 2024: The Robots Are Invading"
The Forbes article "The Hottest Workplace Trend Heading Into 2024: The Robots Are Invading" discusses the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace and its potential implications. According to the 2023 AI Employment Impact Report, AI has already replaced five jobs in 2023, including copywriter, voice actor, translator, police officer, and customer service worker. The report further projects that AI will replace seven more jobs in 2024: coder, paralegal, therapist, designer, telemarketer, retail assistant, and news reporter.
The article also highlights the ongoing debate about the impact of AI on society. While some view AI as a tool that can revolutionize work, others, including Elon Musk and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, express concerns about its potential to cause significant harm. Musk has even called AI "one of the biggest risks to the future of civilization."
The article also suggests that AI will continue to transform HR practices. Kuldeep Yadav, senior vice president of AI and Labs for SHL, predicts that organizations will increasingly apply AI technology to their interviewing practices for better visibility across the interview lifecycle.
